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• Venezuelan actor Michael Avila and the Oscars are settling their dispute that resulted when Avila and his wife were accused of trying to crash the last ceremony. After the couple was detained for six hours they filed a false-imprisonment lawsuit demanding $50 million. The academy countersued for $200,000, alleging trespassing. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

• When Lady Gaga arrived at the MTV Video Music Awards, she brought along four former U.S. soldiers who'd been booted out of the military for being gay or lesbian. Her actions were in a bold tradition of political statements being made at the VMAs, including Steve Tyler blasting Tipper Gore and Kurt Cobain roaring over the right to free speech. MTV

• The first batch of awardees have been announced by the Hollywood Film Festival: composer Hans Zimmer, cinematographer Wally Pfister, and visual effects supervisors Ben Snow and Janek Sirrs ("Iron Man 2"). "Toy Story 3" will receive the Hollywood Animation Award. Trophies to be doled out on Oct. 25. HOLLYWOOD FILM FESTIVAL

• Bruno Ganz will receive a lifetime achievement award at the 23rd European Film Awards Ceremony on Dec. 4 in Tallinn, Estonia. The Swiss actor starred in "The Reader," "The Baader Meinhof Complex," "Wings of Desire," "Downfall," "Bread & Tulips," and "Nosferatu, The Vampire." Recently, he was elected co-president of the German Film Academy. EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY

• What about all the Oscar buzz for "Black Swan"? An Oscarologist asks helmer Darren Aronofsky. SCOTT FEINBERG

• Anne Thompson chats with Sofia Coppola, whose "Somewhere" recently won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. THOMPSON ON HOLLYWOOD

• Time is running out to apply for a pair of bleacher seats at the Oscars. Lottery application ends on Sunday. OSCARS